Not only is the Ontario government rolling out the vaccine passport for non-essential services like restaurants, gyms, movie theatres and events, but they are implementing each unvaccinated staff member of schools to take 2 rapid COVID tests a week. 

The Ontario government projects that each week we will see about 15,000 positive cases a day come the fall school year, as vaccine numbers are not increasing. With this probability, the government does not want the education of children to suffer any longer, and they do not want to have virtual learning for another year.

With rapid tests, each member of staff can safely make sure that they are keeping safe, and allowing for their students and their families to stay safe as well. For staff, it is important for them to keep track if they contract this cold because they interact with dozens of children a day who are most likely unvaccinated and who go home and see their families as well.

The rollout for these rapid tests has not been confirmed yet, but it is most likely that members who are unvaccinated with be able to either take at-home rapid tests or go to their local pharmacy, which will be covered by the Ontario government to make it easier.

In Ottawa, especially the Carleton District School Board has made the decision to mandate vaccination for their teachers and staff members. The policy is put into place and they have until September 30th to be fully vaccinated. The only members who are exempt are ones that cannot have the vaccine due to medical or religious purposes. With this, they much like the staff in Ontario need to undergo rapid tests to provide and prove a negative result.